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Well it looks like no-one wants to go first so I guess I will...

A very early start (4AM) now as daylight savings has ended and it's quite a hike from the carpark around to the location we shot. The location this morning was the infamous Canyon X at the northern end of Turimetta beach on Sydney's northern beaches. We arrived around 5AM for the 30 minute walk around the shoreline in complete darkness.

I finally invested the day before in the Lee Filter system (with the Foundation Kit filter holder, the 77mm Adaptor ring and a 0.9 (3 stop) Hard ND Grad filter) - it was time to test it all out. I have to say regardless of the actual images we took I was very happy with the filter system itself both in ease of use and in controlling the highlights in camera rather than trying to do more in PP - I should have done this long ago!

The weather gods didn't smile so much on us (photographically) for this session - it was a beautiful morning and day however a low tide and a near cloudless sky made for very challenging and less inspired shooting. At least it wasn't raining like our last outing

The interesting cliffs being bathed in the predawn light and the very interesting blowhole at the bottom.

Cliffs at Dawn

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 4 sec at f / 16, ISO 100 + 0.9 GND

The rock shelf had a number of very interesting (and deep) potholes with all manner of interesting things in them including this spectacular specimen of green "stuff"

Reflections in Green

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 0.8 sec at f / 16, ISO 100 + 0.9 GND

Both good shots.

#1 nice composition and I didn't see this one at all. Nice spotting and timing of the wave here. Did you use your grad for this shot?? Also adding the person makes the scale more obvious. Perhaps make the shirt red....

#2 Nice layering of textures here. I quite like this composition as it breaks the usual rules a little. The person could be positioned slightly better but I know for a fact that person wouldn't have listened to you .

Remorhaz wrote:I have to say regardless of the actual images we took I was very happy with the filter system itself both in ease of use and in controlling the highlights in camera rather than trying to do more in PP

Yep it's great to see your pictures 'almost' as is in camera! I love seeing the foreground detail in the LCD.

surenj wrote:#1 nice composition and I didn't see this one at all. Nice spotting and timing of the wave here. Did you use your grad for this shot?? Also adding the person makes the scale more obvious. Perhaps make the shirt red....

Thanks - I was wishing for a bit wider view (can't use the Lee Filter with my 8-16 however )
I did use the grad - diagonally for the sky.

#2 Nice layering of textures here. I quite like this composition as it breaks the usual rules a little. The person could be positioned slightly better but I know for a fact that person wouldn't have listened to you.

Gerry did an image of this pool as well - although I think his was wider (the 11-16) and landscape and more pointing out towards sea?

I was going more for the reflections of the cliffs in the still water and pool (and of course my human subject). The one where I tried to get you to stand up so I got a full body reflection didn't turn out as well unfortunately - must have been the subject

It looks like a nice Autumn morning, nice and crisp.
I like the reflections Rodney.

yeah it certainly was peak hour traffic at this location - adds another dimension to taking photos I reckon!

The first image is quite nice and probably one of the best from the day I reckon - this is the classic composition of Canyon X and excels when there is some water movement.

whos that fine example of the human species out there on the shelf? ohh, thats me at least my ass ain't showing!

The second image does not rock my world, the colours of the cliff look off on my monitor and the disjointed reflections does it no favours in my mind. That said it does portray a definite sense of 'two worlds' the underwater view on the pothole and the above water view of teh cliffs - it could grow on me

colin_12 wrote:It looks like a nice Autumn morning, nice and crisp. I like the reflections Rodney.

Thanks - yes it was a gloriously nice day (just not so great for dawn seascapes unfortunately ) - we should go back - I wouldn't even mind trying during the day on a very overcast day so that area where the blowhole is is nicely evenly lit and not in shadow with my UWA.

biggerry wrote:The first image is quite nice and probably one of the best from the day I reckon - this is the classic composition of Canyon X and excels when there is some water movement.

whos that fine example of the human species out there on the shelf? ohh, thats me at least my ass ain't showing!

Thanks

I've saved the ass photo - not for public consumption I fear

The second image does not rock my world, the colours of the cliff look off on my monitor and the disjointed reflections does it no favours in my mind. That said it does portray a definite sense of 'two worlds' the underwater view on the pothole and the above water view of teh cliffs - it could grow on me

I believe I pumped up the white balance a bit (to Daylight) which removed a bit more of the blue reflection from the water so you could see in better so the cliff probably looks a bit warmer than it should (creative licence - early sun glow ).

I'll post one of Suren a little closer (sorry for your distortion dude ) with the "normal" WB.

Here are two more images I took on the day that I wouldn't mind opinions on


NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 13 sec at f / 11, ISO 100 + 0.9 GND


NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 0.6 sec at f / 16, ISO 100 + 0.9 GND

Remorhaz wrote:Here are two more images I took on the day that I wouldn't mind opinions on

The first is defintiely not as strong as the other version (portrait) imo since it leaves the viewer wandering around the image.

The second has potential but probably needs some spiffy PP to give it some love, there is also come banding in the sky on this low res version.
It is a good composition with a good leading line but possible lacks a main anchor point, if I have time I wouldn't mind having a crack at this.

biggerry wrote:

Remorhaz wrote:Here are two more images I took on the day that I wouldn't mind opinions on

The first is defintiely not as strong as the other version (portrait) imo since it leaves the viewer wandering around the image.

Cool - that gells with my original thoughts

The second has potential but probably needs some spiffy PP to give it some love, there is also come banding in the sky on this low res version.
It is a good composition with a good leading line but possible lacks a main anchor point, if I have time I wouldn't mind having a crack at this.

Also gells - would you like me to supply the RAW or the hires jpeg with my LR edits (I can put it on my web server and email a link)?

Remorhaz wrote:Cool - that gells with my original thoughts

Remorhaz wrote:Also gells - would you like me to supply the RAW or the hires jpeg with my LR edits (I can put it on my web server and email a link)?

excellent - hit me with a raw link